Hyundai has unveiled its ‘new’ 2017 Genesis G80 sedan in South Korea this week, ahead of an Australian debut set for sometime next year.

Debuting as an update and renamed version of the model known here as the Hyundai Genesis, the G80 will be the first model to be marketed specifically under the Genesis brand in Australia. As previously confirmed, however, it will continue to be sold through Hyundai dealerships.

Although the G80’s styling update is largely a ‘blink and miss it’ affair, today’s unveiling has brought two key pieces of news: the addition of Hyundai’s new 3.3-litre turbocharged petrol V6 engine, and the debut of a new G80 Sport model.

Announced as part of the larger Genesis G90 model’s unveiling in December, the 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 offers 272kW of power and 509Nm of torque.

Performance figures for its application in the ‘smaller’ G80 have not been revealed, but Hyundai claims it will push the G90 to 100km/h in 6.2 seconds.

As a point of comparison, Hyundai’s 5.0-litre V8 sends the G90 to 100km/h in a claimed 5.7 seconds, and the G80 (in overseas markets) in 5.4 seconds. We might then expect the 3.3 turbo G80 to hit the ton in 6.0 seconds or below.

In the G80, the 3.3-litre turbo six will power the new Sport variant, which debuted today with the requisite go-fast additions and styling elements. That means a new black mesh grille, new wheels, and new bumpers at both ends – including a diffuser and a bold quad exhaust layout at the rear.

Hyundai has yet to issue a press release for the updated range, although it is believed the G80 Sport fatures the same eight-speed automatic transmission doing duty in the G90.

As before, the G80 will also be offered internationally with the existing 248kW/394Nm 3.8-litre V6 and a 320kW/500Nm 5.0-litre V8, although the latter is not offered in Australia – and likely won’t ever be, due to a left-hand-drive development and production focus.

Australia

For now, Hyundai Australia has confirmed only that the G80 will come to Australia sometime in 2017.

The company’s local arm is keeping quiet on whether we will see the Sport model and its 3.3-litre turbo V6 in Australia.

If the new turbo engine does come to Australia, it would represent a handy power upgrade for local buyers unable to access the more potent V8 option.